Giro d’Italia stage 13 Live – Crosswind action disrupts quiet sprinters’ day

30 seconds now for the De Pooter and Marcellusi. Soudal-QuickStep have taken responsibility in the peloton and are leading the chase.

That duo has been granted a lead of 22 seconds. The peloton is happy to allow someone up the road for now, so long as it’s a small group, and not featuring any especially dangerous riders.

30KM TO GO

The two riders are Dries De Pooter (Intermarché – Wanty) and Martin Marcellusi (VF Group – Bardiani CSF – Faizanè). With no break up the road, they sense an oppertunity to lead the race for a while. 

Attacks from the peloton! Two riders have gone clear.

Another image from the crosswinds. You can just about see in the background the group that was dropped – they were for a little while far adrift and in serious trouble.

It’s all much calmer now. The pace has slowed, and the riders are spread across the road, rather than in single file. The action will surely kick off again soon, though, as the finishing sprint approaches. 

While all that was happening, stage two of the Vuelta a Burgos Féminas came to a conclusion You can read about what happened here.

Here’s a glimpse of Ineos causing chaos in the crosswinds.

There really has been no such thing as a straightfoward, boring stage at this year’s Giro.

The Pozzovivo and Lopez group has rejoined. With 38km to go, the race is all back together again.

40M TO GO

A similarly lightweight climber, Juan Pedro López, is also in the Pozzovivo group. They’re still 30 seconds adrift, but have a chance to get back in as the pace up ahead has slowed considerably.

There’s still one group that’s adrift and chasing. There doesn’t seem to be any really big names there, but veteran – and, crucially given the circumstances, lightweight – climber Domenico Pozzovivo is among them.

Fortunanto was indeed one of the riders caught out, but he’s making his way back to the front of the peloton now. His seventh place on GC is safe again.

Ineos are still at the front, but have slackened the pace.

They’re back together! Group two has…